Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum
By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Against the background that speculations are being trended on the unfortunate Maiduguri fire disaster, the Borno State Government has appealed for professional and objective reportage from journalists in the state .
It will be recalled that the fire disaster that erupted last Sunday gutted property worth billions of naira and over 13,000 shops at the Maiduguri Monday Market.
Addressing managers and heads of media organizations on Friday in his office, the State Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Malam Babakura Abba Jato urged journalists to be accurate and factual in their reportage in order to consolidate the peace building process in the state by being cautious not to mislead the public.
He said this became imperative, in order to counter some mischievous information trending on some social media platforms aimed at inciting the victims of the fire incident and the good people of Borno.
He sympathized with the victims and the people of Borno over the sad incident, and appreciated the roles media played in reporting the fire incident.
He said, media practitioners in the state have been working professionally in reporting the Boko Haram crisis, and urged them to assist in their media contents by dishing out messages that would enlighten the victims to understand what befell them as an act of God Almighty.
The Commissioner recalled that since the fire incident, governor Zulum has so approved the sum of N2 billion to cushion the hardship of the victims and to commence reconstruction of the entire market as government awaits reports from the committee.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for finding time to paid sympathy visit to the victims last Thursday, in which under his directive, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development through the North East Development Commission presented thousands bags of rice, maize and other condiments to the victims.
Jato also commended the Vice President elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, Chairman of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Kashim Imam and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the national level, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, who donated the sum of N100 million each to the victims.
Responding, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr. Inusa Ndahi, General Manager Peace FM, Hajiya Fati Abba Yusuf and other heads of media organizations such of NTA, BRTV, Kanem FM among others sympathized with the victims and the people of Borno state over the incident, and pledged to continue do their best as part of their social responsibility towards peace building in the state.
The meeting is coming at a time when Senator representing Southern Borno, Senator Ali Ndume on Friday paid a sympathy visit to the victims and the leaders of the various traders and associations in the market, where he presented a cheque of N10 million to cushion the economic hardship faced by victims.
Ndume during the sympathy visit described the fire incident as an act of God and call well meaning individuals to come to the aid of the traders at this trying moment.
Receiving the donation, the Chairman of the Monday Market, Barr. Mustapha Loskori thanked the senator for the support and the people of southern Borno for their sympathy visit.
